MITRAL-VALVE REPAIR USING AN ANNULOPLASTY RING MADE OF ARTIFICIAL WOVEN DACRON GRAFT

A woven Dacron ring made of artificial graft was successfully used in combination with a modified Kay's annuloplasty for mitral valve repair . In this procedure, after excision and repair of the redundant prolap sed leaflets, Kay's annuloplasty was performed at both commissures to reduce the posterior annulus and to coapt the leaflets. A woven Dacron ring was then seated and tied to the annulus to provide long-term sta bilization and prevent its further dilatation. The mitral orifice of t he patient was reduced from 33 mm to 21 mm in diameter, and neither mi tral regurgitation nor stenosis was found in the postoperative evaluat ion.